Steve Zanotti – Page 25

KILLER CAB BUY ‘HECHO EN MEXICO’

There’s a lot to digest here, starting with the fact that this is America’s oldest winery, founded in 1597! The land was granted by King Felipe II for the planting of grapes in that year, establishing Bodegas San Lorenzo, now Casa Madero, as a wine-producing estate. There has been a buzz about the emerging wine culture in the Guadalupe Valley in Baja California, but these folks have a few centuries on them.

Located in the Parras Valley, in north-central Mexico, in the state of Coahuila, the vineyards lie above 4500 feet with sunny days and cool nights during the season. The Casa Madero Cabernet Sauvignon Valle de Parras 2017 was a real surprise to us, not only from a historical perspective but because it was an excellent option for that difficult ‘good Cabernet under $20′ niche.

The grapes were hand-harvested and then sorted. This 100% Cabernet saw 24 months in new French oak and then was bottled unfiltered. Plenty of stuffing here with the alcohols still registering under 14%, both red and black fruits are part of the mix with notes of earth, toast, and a whiff of mint. Closer to the weight of a red Bordeaux than a California Cab, with plenty of ripe character, this got our attention and we suspect it will surprise a lot of you simply on the basis of being a tasty, well-made Cab for a good price. The history is a bonus.

2017 SOUTHERN RHONES: MORE GOOD VALUE STUFF

We’ll take this opportunity to make a couple of points. First is the vintage, 2017. In short, it’s a really smart vintage with plenty of bright fruit and great freshness. If it had come in the middle of the 70s, 80s, or 90s, it would have been hailed as special. These days, with global warming and following one of the best vintages of modern times in 2016, 2017 likely won’t ever get the respect it is due. That will likely have a greater impact on the higher end as collectors tend to focus on ‘the best’, but there will be a consistent source of tasty opportunities in the more moderate price ranges on things like Cotes du Rhones, Rasteaus, et. al..

Moving forward, that discussion is a preface to us talking about a wine that has been something of a staple here since Eric Solomon hooked up with Jean-Francois Nicq at Les Vignerons d’Estézargues to create the Domaine de Andezon label back in 1995. This is one of those rare cooperatives that is dialed into the growers and has the resources, and the flexibility to create some very interesting juice. Ten growers in this network vinify their best lots from which the coop creates the d’Andezon blend using no cultured yeasts, no filtering, no fining and no enzymes during vinification or aging and only add a small amount of SO2 at bottling.

The track record for this wine is pretty remarkable, garnering 90 points or greater many times since its inception, no easy feat for a wine that has never exceeded $12 on our shelves. What is perhaps somewhat kitschy about Andezon is that, even though the cooperative is near Avignon in the south, and sources grapes from the surrounding area, the majority of the wine is Syrah (writers says 100% Syrah, importer notes say there is a small amount of Grenache). Ripe, substantial and character-filled, as always, the 2017 Domaine d’Andezon Cotes du Rhone also has a lift and brightness befitting the vintage. As always, it’s the consummate value at $10.98.

Jeb Dunnuck, former Wine Advocate ‘Rhone guy’ now with his own service, confirms, “Deeply colored, the 100% Syrah 2017 Côtes du Rhône Domaine D’Andézon (brought up all in concrete) reminds me of a Côtes du Rhône from Pierre-Marie Clape with its iron, violets, plums, white pepper, and sappy aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, supple, and elegant on the palate, it’s a fleshy, delicious Syrah well worth seeking out. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years… 91 Points.”

A WORD ON THE BIRD

We realize there are folks that have the Thanksgiving holiday all planned with wines from their own cellar stock. But there are folks who treat this family holiday differently than they would a dinner or event with their ‘wine and food’ friends. Ours is neither to judge, nor comment on prices, because that is up to everyone’s discretion and based on their individual needs. Truth be told some people don’t think about it at all and simply serve things that they like, food pairing notwithstanding. Nothing wrong with that. We are merely here to comment on some categories that we think work well with that Thanksgiving bird from a symbiotic food and wine perspective.

Isn’t it the same stuff every year? To a point, yes. Same bird, same wine categories to choose from. The ‘basics’ still apply. No matter how the turkey is cooked, our agenda is to provide our ‘best bets’ for the wine service. Turkey is still generally a fowl that tolerates a wide range of wine choices. As we see it, choices are less about the bird itself and more about the stuffing and other accouterments in determining which wine choices might prove most complimentary.

Every year is different wine-wise as well. There are some categories hitting a high note this year, and others that are at a nadir. For the most part this year offers more potential choices in what we feel are the ‘right’ categories. Our rule of thumb is that, given the varied goodies that will be on the holiday table, whites should have good acidity, bright flavors, and little or no oak. Again, given the ‘fixins’, it is a fine spot for something with a little residual sugar like a German Riesling, Vouvray, or Pinot Gris from Alsace.

As for reds, bright fruit, light to medium body, and not a lot of tannin or obvious wood work best. A bit of underlying acidity and lift is a good thing. Large framed, oaky, high alcohol wines can get tiresome over the course of the meal and can overwhelm the various dishes. Those ‘big reds’(Cabernet, Bordeaux, Syrah, etc.), should be saved for hearty beef or lamb roasts. Acidity is good, wood and tannins not so much with roast fowl. As a general rule, we aren’t dogmatic. But, if asked, we see turkeys that are roasted, fried or smoked as all being best with lighter red wine. Here are our favorite red plays with the bird from a broad perspective, and a couple of specific suggestions.

Pinot Noir-The fruit-driven, bright fruit of a Pinot marries beautifully with roast, smoked, or fried bird. These are wonderful times for Pinot fans as California has been rolling out the hits and there are plenty of 2016 and 2017 examples on the shelves, with a few 2015s now in the mix. Most current vintages have an elegant, tender edge that makes them pretty serviceable. Oregon has plenty of good stuff, too. Burgundy? Of course, if the budget allows. Suggestions: Grochau Pinot Noir 2015, Sostener Pinot Noir, Belle Pente Pinot Noir Belle Pente Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton 2015 , Walter Hansel Estate Pinot Noir Russian River Valley 2017, Edmond Cornu Ladoix Vielles Vignes 2015, Charles Noellat Nuits St. Georges 2009,

Beaujolais-This is also the ‘near-perfect’ choice always and one we have been recommending for ages. Nouveau Beaujolais is not the play anymore. They arrive with travel shock and bottle shock under the best of circumstances. This year add to that the cost of tariffs that will make a passé option even less viable. On the other hand, Beaujolais has had a nice run of vintages, and we have outstanding Beaujolais and Cru wine (Morgon, Moulin-A-Vent, Fleurie, etc.). Suggestions: Maison L’Envoye Fleurie Chateau Vivier 2016, Maison L’Envoye Morgon Cote du Py Vieilles Vignes 2016, Pavillon de Chavannes Cote de Brouilly Cuvee des Ambassades 2017, Clos de la Roilette Fleurie Cuvee Tardive 2017, Joseph Drouhin Fleurie Hospices de Belleville 2015

Rioja-Somehow you knew we’d get to Rioja, but the elegance, versatility, and the bottle age of reservas and gran reservas make them crowd-pleasing choices. Spanish wine for an American holiday? Claro que si. Suggestions: Lealtanza Rioja Gran Reserva 2010, Viña Santurnia Rioja Gran Reserva 2008, Faustino I Rioja Gran Reserva 1996 (open with Ah So or Durand corkscrew)

Chianti- Sangiovese works nicely particularly on tables where the food choices have a more savory bent. The 2016s, as a vintage, are some of the best we have tasted in quite a while. The 2015s are also very appealing and have an extra year of bottle time. The classic cherry fruit, crisp acidity, and modest tannin match well with roast bird, particularly with savory sides. Suggestions: San Felice Chianti Classico Il Grigio Riserva 2015, Felsina Chianti Classico 2016, Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico 2015

‘HOUSE RED’ CANIDATE

We’ll take the opportunity to make a couple of points. First is the vintage, 2017. In short, it’s a really smart vintage with plenty of bright fruit and great freshness. If it had come in the middle of the 70s, 80s, or 90s, it would have been hailed as a special vintage. These days, with global warming and following one of the best vintages of modern times in 2016, it likely won’t ever get the respect it is due. That will likely have a greater impact on the higher end, but there will be a consistent source of opportunities in the more moderate price ranges on things like Cotes du Rhones, Rasteaus, et. al..

Moving forward, that discussion is a preface to us talking about a wine that has been something of a staple here since Eric Solomon hooked up with Jean-Francois Nicq at Les Vignerons d’Estézargues to create the Domaine de Andezon label back in 1995. This is one of those rare cooperatives that is dialed into the growers and has the resources and the flexibility to create some very interesting juice. Ten growers in this network vinify their best lots from which the coop creates the d’Andezon blend using no cultured yeasts, no filtering, no fining and no enzymes during vinification or aging and only add a small amount of SO2 at bottling.

The track record for this wine is pretty remarkable, garnering 90 points or greater many times since its inception, no easy feat for a wine that has never exceeded $12 on our shelves. What is perhaps somewhat kitchy about Andezon is that, even though the cooperative is near Avignon in the south, and sources grapes from the surrounding areas, the majority of the wine is Syrah (writers says 100% Syrah, importer notes say there is a m=small amount of Grenache). Ripe, substantial and character-filled, as always, the 2017 Domaine d’Andezon Cotes du Rhone 2017 also has a lift and brightness befitting the vintage. As always, it’s the consummate value at $10.98.

Jeb Dunnuck, former Wine Advocate ‘Rhone guy’ now on his own, confirms, “Deeply colored, the 100% Syrah 2017 Côtes du Rhône Domaine D’Andézon (brought up all in concrete) reminds me of a Côtes du Rhône from Pierre-Marie Clape with its iron, violets, plums, white pepper, and sappy aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied, supple, and elegant on the palate, it’s a fleshy, delicious Syrah well worth seeking out. Drink it over the coming 4-5 years… 91 Points.”

Y MAS RIOJA BUENA

Had it been another time, this wine might well have gotten a much bigger presentation. But this seems to be a particularly fortuitous period for the genre as a whole. As those who know us well know, we firmly believe there can never be too much great Rioja. But there are only so many major features we can do in a certain time period, even in one of our favorite categories, lest we change our name to “Rioja Exchange”. Still with back-to-back excellent vintages in 2015 and 2016 hitting the market, plus some late-arriving specialty 2010s, our copa runneth over.

The wines of the Marquis de Murrieta have been a pretty consistent favorite around here because they hit all the key aspects in a couple of categories. We are particular fans of their reserve bottlings for all the right reasons. When they are on (which is most of the time), the style presents plenty of engaging, spicy black fruits like plum and cassis with a rather modern forward nature, but plenty of the supple edges and surprising complexity that makes Rioja what it is.

Knowing that we had been long-time supporters of the brand, the purveyor presented us with the 2014 version of the Marquis de Murrieta Rioja Reserva on three (or was it four?) separate occasions. It was adequate, but just not at the level that we know that it can be. When the 2015 came along we were again back on board. This is a pretty, round, engaging red with supple edges, plenty of character, and the kind of price that allows it to be more than just a ‘special occasion’ bottling.

This Marquis de Murrieta Rioja Reserva 2015, granted from a very successful vintage overall, shows the kind of sweet fruit core, spice and toast elements, and front to back harmony that will win more friends for the genre. This is just a lush, versatile and pleasing bottle of Rioja that is exciting in and of itself. But if you are concerned about reviews, it also equaled the highest score given in the series by Wine Advocate (along with the 2010 and, curiously, the 2014), a 93.

The Advocate commentary provides some technical data also aligns with our own thoughts, “The red blend 2015 Rioja Reserva is 80% Tempranillo with 12% Graciano, 6% Mazuelo and 2% Garnacha, a little more Graciano and Mazuelo, something logical in ripe and warm years like 2015. It’s produced with grapes from a diversity of the 30 different plots within the estate, to represent the character of if. It fermented in stainless steel and matured in American oak barrels for 18 months. It’s spicy and somewhat balsamic, with some dusty tannins. It’s a ripe and powerful vintage…”

Good stuff, good price, and once again a ‘go-to’ performer.

LIQUID FARM’S NEW ‘SISTER’

We’ll be the first to admit that we probably don’t spend proportionately enough time talking about California Chardonnay. We do sell a bit of it. But a lot of it is formulaic and geared to fitting certain flavor profiles, while other (which you won’t read about here) are trying, but not quite achieving, some sort of stylistic ideal. Frankly, for such reasons, we find very few California Chardonnays to get excited about. So, if nothing else, this a rare situation where we ran across something that we thought had some ‘sizzle’ and the kind of character that deserves attention.

As we have no shame in saying, our personal preferences run a bit ‘Euro’. Big, fat, sappy styles of Chardonnay are not ‘our jam’ and rather limited in food applications besides. There are, however, ‘local’ alternatives that do strike a chord. One of the more consistent sources is a small Central Coast producer called Liquid Farm. These folks ‘get it’ and we have dabbled over the years with a number of different releases from them.

Perhaps there is a bit of a ‘kindred spirit’ vibe here as we knew owner Jeff Nelson from back in the days where he worked with both Champagne and Burgundy entities on the wholesale market. In the beginning of the project (2009 to be specific), the winery slated a first release that consisted of four barrels of wine with the idea to make a singular bottling. As they tell the story, the juice itself had other ideas with the various component barrels evolving into distinctively different wines that had their own story to tell. Since then the game has been to listen to the grapes and take it from there.

The main focus of the winery had been the Santa Rita Hills but they refer to the Liquid Farm Chardonnay La Hermana Santa Maria Valley 2017 as the first “sister”(La Hermana is Spanish for ‘sister’) to their Santa Rita Hills Chardonnays. The grapes for ‘Sister’ come from the neighboring Santa Maria Valley, roughly equal parts Bien Nacido Vineyard and Solomon Hills Vineyard. The juice goes through 100% neutral barrel fermentation and subsequently sees an additional 10 months in barrel.

There are a lot of reasons we like this wine. Most important, it beautifully embraces the European model while still providing fruit and flavor interest. There is both flesh and verve. There’s volume to the floral, apple, pear, mineral fruit, and a fine underpinning of acidity underneath so that everything hums along nicely across the palate. That combination seems to be difficult to achieve in California and makes this wine stand out because it can play to many stylistic camps. Also, among the Liquid Farm lineup, this is the bargain. It give you a great show of the style and quality of the house, but at half the price of their SRH bottlings.

Antonio Galloni found a lot to like here as well, “The 2017 Chardonnay La Hermana is the one Santa Maria Chardonnay in this lineup. Orchard fruit, white flowers, mint, slate and chalk add layers of complexity to a bright, enticing Chardonnay that oozes class. Impeccable in its balance, La Hermana is bright, layered and incredibly appealing…93 points.”

DELICIOUS HOMMAGE TO PARENTS FROM BOOKER

So if you are old enough to think this name is familiar, you might be thinking of the old TV show Ozzie and Harriet. This is a completely different thing courtesy of Booker vineyards and the intense and focused ‘mind behind’ the project, Eric Jensen. His Syrah bottlings have achieved legend status but this bottling is virtually unknown because, well, it’s brand new.

Imagine a ‘Super Paso’ kind of blend that is a fine extension of the big volume, rich, creamy style that has been the hallmark of the Booker Syrahs infused into this sexy blend. Jensen’s own parents serve as the inspiration for Harvey & Harriet, represented in two hand-holding silhouettes always balancing on the tightrope of life, adorned with the inscription “Everyone’s favorite neighbors. Or not.”

This is a fabulous showpiece for the ‘Paso style’…super plush palate bordering on sur-maturite fruit but with just the right lift to make it pleasingly juicy and palate-caressing. There is richness, plush character, surprising freshness to the layered, ripe fruit. This is pure Paso at its most compelling. Booker is uber famous in some circles, as we said earlier, for it’s Syrah based wines. But this new assemblage tends to reach into a different realm.

The blend of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Syrah, 5% Petit Verdot, and 4% Malbec could have easily been labeled as Cabernet as it would be virtually impossible to detect that one percent missing in the blend. It would certainly have been easier to sell the wine as a new “Cabernet” from Booker. But, to their credit, that is not how these folks roll. They put all of their effort into perfectly ripe fruit and called it as it was.

That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this as you would a Cabernet. The touch of blackberry and smoked meats in the finish comes from the Syrah but adds dimension to the wine. The rest plays like an elite, polished Cabrnet from Paso with primarily dark cherry fruit laced with subtle minerality. We have been surprised how many California Cabernet producers have been routinely slipping a little Syrah into the mix. The ‘official’ name of the wine is Booker ‘My Favorite Neighbor’ Harvey & Harriet Paso Robles Red Blend 2017. The name is a little hard to digest and one would be understandably hard-pressed to dive into this with such a non-descript ‘handle’. But this is, in fact, a greatly engaging ‘Cabernet’ and Paso experience all rolled into one.

You can pay more for something like Daou, which gets pretty rave reviews from the press. But to us this wine has more soul, depth, and a very comfortable flavor and style profile. There is a little bit of confusion as the winery has made wines carrying the ‘My Favorite Neighbor’ label for a while (we have Advocate reviews dating back to 2006). But Harvey & Harriet, specifically dedicated to Eric Jensen’s parents, is a new chapter in the series.

There’s not a lot of ink on this newcomer, but clearly Jeb Dunnuck shared our enthusiasm in a barrel review he posted on the wine in November, 2018, “Named after Eric Jenson’s parents, the 2017 Harvey and Harriet is another outstanding wine in the making…It boasts lots of blue fruits, graphite, violets, and classy oak as well as a big, full-bodied yet rockingly balanced style on the palate. It has classic Jenson style and is going to drink nicely right out of the gate…92-94 points.” That it does.

2016 MÁQUINA & TABLA PÁRAMOS DE NICASIA BLANCO CASTILLA Y LEON 2016

If ever a wine needed subtitles, this would be it. But there are a lot of fun, esoteric things emerging from the wine world today simply because they are there and someone was convinced enough of the wine to bring it to market. The label is very ‘camp’, the red waxed tip closure visually appealing, and the appellation Castilla y Leon reasonably familiar to fans of Spanish wines as a broad area containing other more delineated regions within it like Ribera del Duero. This particular wine is labeled 2016 Máquina & Tabla Páramos de Nicasia Blanco Vino de la Tierra de Castilla y Leon, a rather wordy delineation that essentially means ‘freedom’ because the wines bearing the “vino de la tierra” nomenclature operate outside the strict guidelines of more specific Dos like Ribera and Rueda.

Most of the examples we have seen bearing this banner, probably the most famous of which is Mauro, are red. Though with the dark glass and red cap might give one an impression otherwise, this is pink wine, though one with a personality all its own. The stated goal here is to produce wines with a connection to centuries-old tradition, in this case making a ‘Clarete’. The wine is made by blending the free-run juice of Garnacha, Tempranillo, and Malvasia which here creates a wine that isn’t very pink and has more in common with a white wine from Savennierres or a dry version of a still ‘blanc de noir’. They use the term ‘Clarete’ rather than Rosato because they feel it suggests a wine that is more substantial and serious than your garden variety pink wine.

This juice comes from 8 hectare vineyard located outside Villaester within the D.O. of Toro. Called Pasiego, this site is a mix of 50-60 year old, ungrafted vines of Tinta del País (the local clone of Tempranillo), Garnacha and Malvasía on sandy soil over a clay/limestone subsoil. The color of this wine comes from the natural hue of the free-run juice of the blend, which is roughly equal parts of the three varietals. It has volume, texture, and verve, and can hang with more serious dishes. It sees 8 months in four-year-old barrels.

Luis Gutierrez of Wine Advocate took a walk on the wild side as well, saying of this unique juice “…It has a serious profile, especially on the palate, where it’s somewhere in between a light red and a full-bodied white, with serious chalky tannins and consistency to stand up to food and a few years of aging in bottle. It’s tasty and supple, serious and not banal…91 points.” Definitely not banal, this is also the type of distinctive effort that the broad marketplace doesn’t even know exists. It’s definitely something that has a place on the table and makes a great foil for a surprising array of dishes. A must try.

A NEW CHATEAUNEUF STAR IS BORN

The wine business might seem ‘cool’ and even somewhat glamorous to some. But ultimately it is a business with all of the politics, broken promises, and disappointments that can be a part of any business. There were a lot of reasons we could have passed on this wine. The purveyor had presented us the hugely reviewed 2016 vintage but somehow it all disappeared before we got any.

The 2017s, while very good, followed a vintage-of-a-lifetime in the southern Rhone in 2016 where we had sold (and continue to sell) huge quantities. There was no hurry to get engaged in 2017s for a number of adjunct reasons. Their time will come but the marketplace still contains a fair bit of available wines that had superb reviews from a highly touted vintage.

Given all of that, and the fact that the quantities were not sufficient to support a full blown email offer, it would have been very easy to pass this one by. It’s not like we needed another Chateauneuf. But we couldn’t say no. The Clos St. Antonin Chateauneuf 2017 was, very simply, too good! The nose of cured cherries and spice soared from the glass and pretty much announced the wine the way a herald would announce royalty entering a room. In the mouth, the wine was vigorous, persistent, engaging, and complete presenting a broad swath of vibrant red fruits with all of the inlaid nuance one could ask for.

You may not know the name. The Clos St. Antonin as it exists today only started with the 2015 vintage. Put together by Aime Sabon and his daughter Isabelle, from a contiguous parcel of old vines purchased in the Cotes du Rhone, plus some property from Domaine de la Janasse’s Chateauneuf holdings where this wine originated, this is a new and clearly estimable player to hit the market.

There hasn’t been much said about this wine other than an enthusiastic piece from Jeb Dunnuck, “The same mix of La Crau, Font de Loup, and Saint Georges lieux-dits brought up in a foudre, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape has a Rayas-like bouquet of kirsch liqueur, candied rose petal, orange zest, and spice. It’s incredibly polished, elegant and layered on the palate, with fine tannins, terrific balance, and a great finish. This is a brilliant wine I’d be thrilled to have in the cellar…94+”

He went on to say, “I continue to love these wines from Clos St Antonin… Along with Chapelle Saint Theodoric, they’re the closest thing to Rayas out there.” The ‘plus’ after the 94 suggests that the wine could well merit a higher review later. The comparison to Rayas is ‘next level’.

Isabelle has quite the touch and her wines deliver a mouthful of fruit while still retaining poise and elegance. Back in the old days we’d probably say it was a ‘woman’s touch’, but it is unclear if one can make that kind of statement any more. Clearly her Janasse pedigree is evident, but the wines have a personality all their own. This is a brilliant effort and an important new label (her 94 point 2016 Cotes du Rhone Plan de Dieu is ‘aces’ as well). Too bad there isn’t more.

FIRST THE CAB, THEN THE CAUSE

For virtually as long as we have been in the wine business, we have been exposed to what we call ‘cause’ wines. It isn’t a brand new idea to create a product, in this case a fermented beverage, where some or all of the proceeds go to some worthy charity. Believe us we tell you we have seen every conceivable presentation of wines like that. But no matter how worthy the cause, we are wine merchants and our first allegiance is to our customers. Over the last three decades plus, we have abided by one simple rule…if we pitch a wine to you, it’s because we believe in the quality of the wine and the price charged.

This is where virtually every ‘cause’ wine fails…the wine itself. The folks creating these labels, passionate crusaders that they might be, don’t seem to give enough thought to the fact that, eventually, someone will drink the wine that they had been induced to purchase. In virtually every case where we have tasted, the wine is ordinary. Our job isn’t to sell people ordinary juice under the banner of some noble cause. In fact, in our history, we have never done that because we’re simply no good at saying “buy this forgettable juice to support (insert worthwhile charity here)”.

That is what makes this one of the most unique offers we have ever done. Why? Because Cristie Kerr created the ultimate ‘everybody wins’ scenario. Cristie is one of the most accomplished athletes in women’s golf, with 19 LPGA Tour wins, seven Solheim Cup wins and her first European title at the French Open. What, as Wine Spectator queried in an article published in October, 2017, is her “celebratory drink of choice?” Wine. She also had a desire to call attention and raise money for a cause that was important to her, breast cancer research.

She figured that, somehow, as many have done before, the wine and the cause could be combined in some meaningful way. Only unlike so many before her, Cristie didn’t just go to some ‘tank farm’ to buy some random juice to put in the bottle and slap a label on it. Instead, she connected with accomplished stars, Napa elite Suzanne Pride and winemaker Sally Johnson of Pride Vineyards. Together, under the Kerr banner, they created the Curvature wine label with the 2006 vintage. All of the proceeds to go breast cancer research, already to the tune of $3.5M at the time of the article mentioned previously.

What’s gets us involved in this particular instance is the fact that we can actually recommend the wine that this project is offering as wine, specifically this Kerr Curvature Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2014. Made by Sally Johnson at Pride, this wine is 88% Cabernet Sauvignon and 12% Merlot and sees time in French oak barrels that are 60% new. The grapes are all from the prestigious Oakville appellation sourced from a specific vineyard that ‘can’t be revealed’.

Does that sound like some afterthought ‘charity wine’? Of course not, and it doesn’t taste like it either. There’s a very seductive nose of dark chocolate, black cherries and plum layered with subtle licorice, savory herbs, and toast. It is velvety and round in the mouth with ripe, palate-coating tannin and flavors reminiscent blackberry jam and coffee, with a spicy and long finish.

For our part, we negotiated this solid $59 Cabernet into a barnburner of a $35 Cabernet with the intent to ‘spread the message’ as far as we can with a limited production Cabernet. Not only is this the first time we have actually gotten excited about any kind of ‘cause’ wine, it is the ultimate ‘win, win, win’. Kerr gets her name and wine out among serious aficionados. You get a lovely, well made, serious Napa Cabernet made by an accomplished winemaker at a steeply discounted price and critical research gets some needed funds.

This is not some innocuous ‘token’ bottle as a participation gift. These ladies did it right and this is legit juice to be enjoyed. Buy it for the wine. Buy it for the deal. Buy it for an important cause. There is no ‘down side’.